Tomato tarte tatin

Tomato tarte tatin

1 h
Discover a new and exciting French dish with our tomato tarte tatin. This savoury version of the classic dessert combines the bright tanginess of cherry tomatoes with the sweetness of balsamic glaze wrapped in buttery puff pastry. Scented with fresh thyme and topped with smooth white cheese, this tarte can be served as an elegant starter or as the star of a relaxed lunch.
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200 °C fan/gas mark 7.
  • Heat balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small pan. When the sugar dissolves, add butter and half of the thyme and stir until the butter is melted.
  • Pour into an oven-proof frying pan and swirl until the mixture coats the bottom of the pan.
  • Top with tomatoes, making sure they fit snugly into the pan and there are no large gaps.
  • Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll out the pastry until it is 2 cm bigger than the pan.
  • Cover the pan with pastry and cut off excess pastry with a sharp knife. Push the pastry down into the sides of the pan, covering the tomatoes.
  • Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and golden.
  • Remove and let the pan sit for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a large baking tray. Sprinkle with white cheese and the remaining thyme, and season with black pepper.
  • Pop back into the oven for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!

FAQ: Questions about tomato tarte tatin

Keen to master this savoury version of a French classic? Our FAQ section will guide you.

How do I flip the tarte tatin without it falling apart?
To flip your tomato tarte tatin without it falling apart, let it cool for 5 minutes after baking. This helps set the caramel and keeps the tarte together. Next, carefully loosen the pastry from the pan edges using a silicone spatula or knife. Cover the frying pan with a serving plate larger than the pan. Then, holding the plate, swiftly turn the frying pan upside down. Lift off the frying pan gently. If any tomatoes stay in the pan, just put them back onto the pastry.
What can I do with leftover puff pastry trimmings?
Turn your leftover puff pastry trimmings into tasty homemade croutons. Bake the trimmings until they are crisp. For added flavour, consider sprinkling seeds or cheese on them before baking. Store the croutons in an airtight container and add a crunchy texture to your soups or salads later.
What size of tin should I use for tomato tarte tatin?
For the best tomato tarte tin, choose a tart tin or an ovenproof frying pan about 20-23 cm in diameter. This ensures a well-proportioned mix of pastry and filling. It is also essential to use a tin or pan that you can flip quickly, as you will need to turn out the tarte onto a plate to serve.

Ingredients

Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp
Caster sugar
2 tbsp
Unsalted butter
25 g
Fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
4 tbsp
Yellow and red cherry tomatoes
400 g
Flour for dusting
Block puff pastry
500 g
Apetina® Original White Cheese In Brine
200 g

Tips: Cook the perfect tomato tarte tatin

Learn to craft the perfect savoury tomato tarte tatin with our essential tips.

Mastering tomato placement

Be careful when arranging the cherry tomatoes to achieve a beautifully caramelised and evenly cooked tomato tarte tatin. Start by halving the tomatoes and removing the seeds to help them caramelise and prevent a soggy tarte. Snugly place the halves cut-side down, starting at the edge and working towards the centre in a spiral. This ensures even cooking and creates a pleasing pattern once the tarte is done.

Make tomato tarte tatin ahead of time

You can prepare elements of the tomato tarte tatin in advance. Prepare the puff pastry by shaping it into a disc, wrapping it, and chilling it in the fridge until you need it. You can also cook the butter, sugar, and balsamic vinegar to create the caramel, then let it cool and reheat it when you resume cooking. For the best texture and flavour, bake the tarte just before serving.

Ensure a crisp pastry

To achieve a crisp pastry, prick it with a fork before baking it. This allows steam to escape instead of getting trapped inside the tart, thus creating unwanted moisture. Bake on a flat tray heated in the oven to help the pastry cook evenly and crisp up.

Make a tasty tomato tarte tatin

Make a tasty tomato tarte tatin and enjoy a stunning, flavourful dish that celebrates the delicate balance between sweet and savoury. At its core, it is a simple dish with few components, but it is all about how well these components work together. Ripe cherry tomatoes meet buttery puff pastry, and the whole thing is topped with creamy white cheese. The red and yellow tomatoes decorate the crispy, golden-brown puff pastry perfectly. Its visual splendour and deep flavours make it a truly remarkable dish for entertaining guests.

With sweet, caramelised cherry tomatoes cooked in vinegar and butter

It is love at first sight when you gaze upon the beautiful dark red and yellow layers of tomatoes on the tomato tarte tatin. They are the essence of the tart, providing a deep, sweet, and savoury base. Cooked slowly in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, sugar, and butter, the tomatoes caramelise and transform into an extraordinary sight full of wonderful flavours. The vinegar cooks into a rich, syrupy glaze that envelops the tangy nuances of the tomatoes. Combined with butter and thyme, the cherry tomatoes offer the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness.

Crispy puff pastry and creamy white cheese

Soft, juicy cherry tomatoes mixed with crispy puff pastry and creamy white cheese. This is what the tomato tarte tatin is all about. It presents a delightful contrast of textures, making every mouthful a joyful experience. Baked in the oven, the pastry puffs up and turns into a crisp, golden layer. Its light, buttery base becomes irresistibly flaky with a slight crunch. Sprinkle white cheese on top and enjoy its slightly melted texture and tangy flavour notes.

Enjoy other recipes with white cheese, for example, potato ravioli, loaded sweet potato fries, and couscous tabbouleh.

A tomato twist on a French classic

Our recipe for tomato tarte tatin gives the classic French tarte tatin a savoury tomato twist. Traditionally, the tarte features caramelised apples and is enjoyed as a decadent dessert. The tomato tarte tatin is a modern adaptation inspired by the classic. Instead of apples, ripe tomatoes are caramelised with balsamic vinegar, sugar, and herbs before being topped with puff pastry. The tart is a wonderful example of classic recipes meeting modern innovation. With its perfect balance of sweet and savoury, you can easily serve it as a delicious starter or a sophisticated side dish.

Make the dish your own

You can tailor the recipe to suit your tastes and preferences. For this tomato tarte tatin, you can choose from a variety of tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are the top choice for their small size and sweetness, but you can swap them with other tomatoes that are close in size to ensure they cook evenly. For larger tomatoes, slice them into halves or smaller pieces and remove extra seeds and juice to keep the tarte from getting too soggy.

For a more intense flavour, consider adding roasted garlic or olives to the tomatoes before covering them with pastry. They will add depth, nuance, and a slight Mediterranean touch.

Adding capers to the tomato tarte Tatin is also a great choice. Their briny, tangy flavour provides a sharp contrast to the sweet, caramelised tomatoes and adds a burst of umami.

The pastry itself can also be flavoured with different ingredients. Try black pepper, Parmesan, or seeds for added texture and flavour.